Comments on: 2008 Proton Persona Review

By: MOAB

MOAB — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:58:52 +0000

“What exactly should one think of Proton? Hyundai of the ’80s? On its way to global domination and taking on the big guys? Or a small Asian manufacturer doomed without a global partner?”

while other car manufacturer are being bailed out proton is still around and breathing. do proton need a suffering global partner …NO… laughing at GM

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:17:24 +0000

Adam thats why Ford and Holden sell other cars as well. Yazidane, glad you like your Persona, but did you actually test drive any of its competitors? Thats why this car got the review score it did, because even against its competitors, it is inadequate and sub-par. No one is bringing up BMW or Ferrari’s here, but for the same money you could of had so many other, significantly better cars, that are safer, more powerful, more economical and better equipped.

By: yazidane

yazidane — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:45:52 +0000

I think most of you are a bit bad on your review…for me this car is quite good in their range. The price is really reasonable with the quality and comfort you get. No need to compare with ferrari or BMW because their is on high level class. The proton is just some cheap affordable car that can be bought by student like me. If you already drove a porshe or elise don’t need to try this. No need to critize this car badly because it is value for money. No need to be paranoid with Malaysian car. I drove it and this car is great.

By: adam

adam — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:40:58 +0000

Well Proton will survive the crisis in better shape then GM/Holden and Ford maybe. And why is that ? Well who needs a 4.0 litre engines in peak hour traffic ?

By: DGS

DGS — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:49:48 +0000

I hate to confess to it, but I rather like the look of this car. When crossing the Nulabour I saw a black one at a roadhouse. The Designer of this car has done a wonderful job. Shame about the poor quality of materials and build, and the 1.6? why? A 1.8 or 2.0 litre would make it a little rocket (especially if turbo charged). The suspention by Lotus makes you weep the rest of the package can not deliver on it potential.

If Hyundai or Kia made the very same car with a 2.0 litre(and Hyundai quality) for $20K I would buy one tomorrow.

By: awang

awang — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:29:31 +0000

you guys are so spoilt with those 2.0l..what?do you think a 1.6 cant overtake on highways? or do you just realize you actually drive like grandpa??hahaha..

i do admit proton did nothing for the past 20years,but since the changed in their top mgt last 2years i think, they start to recover..

pls drive before you start bashing..ops,btw..toyota and honda in the same car segment is not that perfect also..

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:39:42 +0000

Persona is not a bad cheap car. You guys are right they should produce 2.0 litre engine. So far Proton currently only have 1.6 litre engine but it is use cps technology. They use it for upcoming Proton Exora (MPV) you can imagine how the 1,380 kgs MPV (slightly bigger than Kia Rondo but it is much lighten) perform with 1.6 CPS engine.

The car features sound very cool and promising. But I dont know how the quality is. The plus point is it makes for 4 stars Euro Ncap.

Check the review here: http://paultan.org/topics/proton-mpv-2009/

By: red7

red7 — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:02:20 +0000

why don’t u go for a test drive first Shinzitsu?
go and verify all your comments on this car and share with the rest of us here especially on the handling part.

cheers~

By: Shinzitsu

Shinzitsu — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:53:16 +0000

Leeroy, i hope you re not implying Proton makes better cars that the world’s 5th largest manufacturer.

Have you ever heard of a car called Hyundai I30? I don t think you ever have. The Car advice team has posted very detailed and informative road tests on how well it handles and how solid its build quality is.

It s good to be proud of a car company from your country(although very struggling), but you better be reasonable. You gave it a good try though, comparing a struggling, hardly known car company to the world’s 5th biggest multinational manufacturer (still growing) for product quality.

By: leeroy

leeroy — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:42:29 +0000

Easy to see that most people who have left comments have not driven a Persona, let alone looked at one in the Flesh!

Yes some of details are a little ‘naff’ (Strange then that Toyota copied the dash design for it’s Yaris) but this is a great ‘drivers’ car for the money. Certainly Proton makes its cars handle, something the likes of Hyundai and Kia still cannot manage.

By: Phillip

Phillip — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:42:53 +0000

“If the random cluster of buttons operating the CD player don’t through you off”. Through?

By: Shinzitsu

Shinzitsu — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:44:44 +0000

The salesman, there were people still living in the 80’s i was talking to them. I could see from your threads that you re working in the auto industry or highly involved in that area. So i guess you re better informed than most of peple in this forum including me and hope that you keep up the good work of enlightening those still burying their heads in the sand.

By: Millatime

Millatime — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:12:17 +0000

Terrific review Alborz, job well done.

What else can you get for that money? A Barina that will kill everyone within a 100m radius in a little car park bingle?

With suspension by Lotus, throw in a bottle of NOS and some seat covers and you’ve got the world’s cheapest GTi!

By: Fenno

Fenno — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:19:25 +0000

God-d#mned mothers of left-handed orthodox ski-instructors can build better pieces of crap that this pile of junk. They are well and truly farked!

How’s that Ninjitsu?

Close to what you were hoping for?

By: The Salesman

The Salesman — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:30:21 +0000

I am not quit sure how to answer that Shinzitsu (bless you)
What is your question?

By: Shinzitsu

Shinzitsu — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:14:54 +0000

Where is everyone that never stopped swearing at every Hyundai Kia thread? I always saw these people saying ‘Drive like shit’ ‘ a load of crap’. ALL of these folks gotta come here right now and begin their swearing job because this Malaysian car is really something that people would call a crap. If they don t, they re contradicting themselves because they ve always cursed and made fun of cars that have topped consumer surveys and beaten up their competitors in head-on road tests.

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:44 +0000

Asia’s answer to FIAT maybe, bad answer too.

By: The_New_Fresh_Prince

The_New_Fresh_Prince — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:37:51 +0000

They had there chance to get together with VW and let it slip away.

Its a nowhere brand everywhere in the world except in My. where its subsidized to the hilt.

Buy better for the same OR LESS, why bother with this orphan.

“ASIA’S ANWSER TO BMW” LOL, they are on drugs!

Cheers

F-0

By: riceboy

riceboy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:09:14 +0000

I’ve had protons as rental cars in Malaysia,they’re cheap and nasty with big quality problems, but those were the previous models. Maybe if all the body panels and other unnecessary body parts fell off, it would help with the acceleration…

Alborz, like Reckless1 said, how can you compare this piece of junk to a Golf GTI???!!!

By: greenroom

greenroom — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:22:20 +0000

Persona. Considering it’s inability to carry any more than the driver, may I suggest a name change to:

APERSON